Is Aerofoot real? Viral Gitex 2029 Future in Motion video claim debunked

Several videos of flying shoes, or Aerofoot, went viral across social media platforms on Tuesday, October 21.

Originally posted by Jyo John Mulloor, the first clip shows a young man standing on a small podium wearing something similar to skating shoes. However, seconds into the clip, the man starts to elevate in the air and stops at a good two feet height, spins around, and then comes down.

The setting appears to be a tech exhibition, with men in kanduras (traditional garments typically worn by men in the UAE), beginning to cheer as the flying shoes are showcased. This clip has garnered over 201K likes so far.

The flying shoes exhibited in the second video look slightly different from the pair in the first clip. These shoes appear to have a flat surface with a bright glow at the edge.

A group of models in black semi-formal outfits and the flying shoes walk the runway at a tech event. The video is captioned, "Aerofoot : Future in Motion" with a second line reading "Gitex 2029".

The third clip from the batch is similar to the first one. This time, it's a woman in formals showcasing the flying shoes. She takes a few steps backward while elevating herself from the ground. A large screen in the background reads "Aerofo" with the tagline "FUTURE IN MOTION".

These viral clips have left netizens wondering if such flying shoes actually exist and if these products are being launched. Regardless, the Aerofoot videos are not real, but rather generated using AI. No such products as flying shoes or boots have been launched anywhere in the world.

Aerofoot, for now, only exists in the AI world

Jyo John Mulloor, who shared the Aerofoot videos, is a contemporary digital artist and surrealist, as per his bio on Behance. He founded JJM Studio, described as a "visionary digital art studio" on Facebook.

According to LinkedIn, Jyo John Mulloor, based in Dubai, UAE, has been self-employed at his studio since September 2023. He also works as an artificial intelligence trainer. JJM Studio specializes in "AI-powered creations", and "pushes the boundaries of modern art and storytelling."

Jyo John Mulloor's viral videos and the captions made it seem that Aerofoot, a futuristic invention, would be showcased at the 2029 GITEX in Dubai. GITEX or GITEX Global is one of the world's largest tech events. Tech creators, enthusiasts, and investors gather there annually to take a look at demo models.

While Jyo John Mulloor's vision of the flying shoes certainly looks intriguing to many, neither a demo nor the real product is in existence. Conceptualized by Mulloor, the videos were crafted using AI. Thus, unfortunately, for now, humans are yet to experience flying on their own with the help of just a pair of shoes.